Congress accuses Nirmala Sitharaman of repeating ‘false claims’

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Saturday accused Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of repeating what it termed “false claims” made earlier in Parliament during her public meeting at Narsaraopet.

Addressing a press conference at Andhra Ratna Bhavan, APCC working president and former MLA Mastan Vali, vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji and party leader Meesala Rajeshwara Rao alleged that the BJP-led NDA government had failed to tackle rising unemployment and had neither generated adequate employment nor promoted self-employment opportunities.

Questioning Ms. Sitharaman’s claim that banks were extending loans to beneficiaries, the Congress leaders demanded details of the beneficiaries, the places where the loans had been disbursed and the amounts sanctioned.

They also alleged that the BJP had become a “washing machine” for leaders facing corruption charges by inducting them into the party. They criticised the Centre for failing to bring back economic offenders who had allegedly defrauded banks of thousands of crores before fleeing the country and sought details of the amount recovered so far.

Claiming that the public was aware of the BJP’s “misdeeds”, the Congress leaders said the electorate would deliver an appropriate verdict against the party at the appropriate time.